was he barack hussein obama or barack obama, the 44th president of the united states? i don't think that has been resolved. i think that's still playing out. there's an enigma about the man and we're still trying to it answer it. >> what about your obvious inside access? how easy that was to come by? >> never easy. >> not. >> never easy. a lot of people this think that you do certain deals or someone hands it to you on a plate. the candidate obama first suggested to me about a book, and i thought, naively, i told him it was a stupid idea and i wouldn't do it. >> hang on, you told him it was a stupid idea? >> i actually did say that. i had to get back to him a few weeks later and say -- >> i am sorry. >> i've talked to a few people about it and maybe it's not so stupid. he was quite happy to tell me that i actually was the stupid one. but i assumed -- this is where it was stupid -- i assumed the candidate suggests this thing and now i think it's a good idea so you've got cooperation, right? far from it. there were endless roadblocks. people think if it you get the big i